Fugees Rapper Pras Michel Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison
In a federal court hearing on Thursday, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly handed down a 14-year prison sentence to Prakazrel Michel, also known as Pras, the Fugees rapper at the center of a high-profile corruption scandal. The conviction, which carries multiple charges including conspiracy, money laundering, and illegal lobbying, marks a significant turning point in Michel's troubled career.
Michel's lawyers had requested a sentence of just three years, but prosecutors had pushed for a more severe punishment, reportedly seeking decades-long incarceration. The judge ultimately sided with the government, while also imposing three years of probation upon Michel's release from prison.
Michel, who has been dogged by allegations of corruption and wrongdoing since 2019, was indicted on four counts of making illicit contributions to Barack Obama's re-election campaign in 2012. The charges were later expanded to include bank fraud, concealment of material facts, witness tampering, and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
At the heart of the scandal is Michel's relationship with a Malaysian businessman named Low Taek Jho, who is accused of embezzling billions of dollars from a Malaysian state-owned company. Michel allegedly played a role in moving funds from 1MDB to a campaign that aimed to lobby Donald Trump into dropping an investigation into Low and a Chinese dissident.
Michel's lawyers maintained that he was not aware of the illicit activities, claiming that he had simply become entangled in a web of deceit. "What benefit would I get trying to break laws?" Michel told Rolling Stone earlier this year. "It's not worth it to me... I'm like a pariah now. I've got friends who won't talk to me because they think there's a satellite in orbit listening to them."
The conviction has sent shockwaves through the music industry, with many fans and former colleagues expressing disappointment and outrage. Michel had briefly reunited with his Fugees bandmates Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean in 2023, but distanced himself from reunions last year.
As Michel prepares to surrender on January 27, his lawyers have announced plans to appeal both the conviction and sentence. Despite the setback, Michel's representatives remain optimistic, citing the rapper's reputation as a trailblazer for social justice and cultural expression. "This is not the end of his story," his spokesperson Erica Dumas said in a statement to Rolling Stone. "He appreciates the outpouring of support as he approaches the next chapter."
In a federal court hearing on Thursday, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly handed down a 14-year prison sentence to Prakazrel Michel, also known as Pras, the Fugees rapper at the center of a high-profile corruption scandal. The conviction, which carries multiple charges including conspiracy, money laundering, and illegal lobbying, marks a significant turning point in Michel's troubled career.
Michel's lawyers had requested a sentence of just three years, but prosecutors had pushed for a more severe punishment, reportedly seeking decades-long incarceration. The judge ultimately sided with the government, while also imposing three years of probation upon Michel's release from prison.
Michel, who has been dogged by allegations of corruption and wrongdoing since 2019, was indicted on four counts of making illicit contributions to Barack Obama's re-election campaign in 2012. The charges were later expanded to include bank fraud, concealment of material facts, witness tampering, and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
At the heart of the scandal is Michel's relationship with a Malaysian businessman named Low Taek Jho, who is accused of embezzling billions of dollars from a Malaysian state-owned company. Michel allegedly played a role in moving funds from 1MDB to a campaign that aimed to lobby Donald Trump into dropping an investigation into Low and a Chinese dissident.
Michel's lawyers maintained that he was not aware of the illicit activities, claiming that he had simply become entangled in a web of deceit. "What benefit would I get trying to break laws?" Michel told Rolling Stone earlier this year. "It's not worth it to me... I'm like a pariah now. I've got friends who won't talk to me because they think there's a satellite in orbit listening to them."
The conviction has sent shockwaves through the music industry, with many fans and former colleagues expressing disappointment and outrage. Michel had briefly reunited with his Fugees bandmates Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean in 2023, but distanced himself from reunions last year.
As Michel prepares to surrender on January 27, his lawyers have announced plans to appeal both the conviction and sentence. Despite the setback, Michel's representatives remain optimistic, citing the rapper's reputation as a trailblazer for social justice and cultural expression. "This is not the end of his story," his spokesperson Erica Dumas said in a statement to Rolling Stone. "He appreciates the outpouring of support as he approaches the next chapter."
14 years in prison feels way too long for someone who's clearly been caught up in a huge mess. I mean, we're talking billions of dollars here... it's crazy to think about how much influence and power people like Low Taek Jho have. And for what? So they can embezzle funds and then try to cover their tracks through some sketchy campaign finance deals? 
It just doesn't add up. 
It just seems so paranoid and, honestly, a bit desperate. 
14 years in prison feels like a pretty harsh sentence, imo 
. I mean, Pras was already getting slammed for his actions in 2019 and it took this long to get convicted? It's just crazy that he thought he could get away with whatever he did and then deny any involvement when confronted 
.
. It's not fair that he's getting punished like this while others might get away with similar behavior.
. Maybe they can get the sentence reduced or something 
. But at the end of the day, I just feel bad for Pras and his fans who are going to be affected by this 
.
. I get that he messed with some big players and got caught up in some shady dealings but 3 yrs probation seems more fair to me 
. I'm not saying what he did was right or whatever but it's just a shame 'cause he was always the voice of the underdog, you know?
. I don't think he should be locked up for so long, especially considering his music was always about giving back to the community and speaking truth to power 
. It's not like he broke the law with malicious intent or anything... more like a poor decision due to bad guidance from some shady characters 
, you know? Like, I always thought Pras was more of a social justice warrior and all that jazz 
, but it seems like he got caught up in some shady dealings 
. I think there's more to it than that.
.
. 14 years is a long time, and I don't want him to lose himself in the process of trying to make things right 
.
so harsh i feel bad for him but at the same time kinda deserves it considering all the shady dealings he was involved in from what ive read online about his entanglement with that malaysia businessman seems super fishy anyway its not like hes a saint or anything his music has always been pretty polarizing
i'm guessing it had something to do with that malaysia thingy and barack obama campaign tho? but like, why would anyone do those things? 
, 14 years is way too long for making some mistakes, i feel bad for pras's fans and the fugees reunion that got cut short 
, i guess 3 yrs of probation after the sentence is fair tho 
I mean, he's already been under scrutiny for so long over this corruption thing, but to get a sentence that long is just harsh 
. Time will tell what happens next, I guess 
, I never thought I'd see the day where someone from The Fugees would be in a situation like this. Time flies, right? 
Anyway, it's not looking good for Pras... his career is basically over, and he'll probably lose all his fame 
. And I guess 3 years of probation isn't so bad, but still...
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